


Old Habits, New Home

by PizzaHorse



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Best Friends, Developing Friendships, Duck - Freeform, Ducks, Emotions, Family, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Feelings, Female Characters, Female Friendship, Friendship, Gen, Love, Minor Lena (Disney: Ducktales)/Webby Vanderquack, Shoplifting, Strong Female Characters, Trust, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 06:36:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16362776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PizzaHorse/pseuds/PizzaHorse
Summary: Adjusting to life in McDuck Manor isn’t easy when Lena’s been homeless for as long as she can remember. The young teen gets into trouble when she falls into old habits, and learns to rely on the people that love her.





	1. Chapter 1

Everyone found that it was easy to get used to Lena being in the house all the time. Before everything went down on the night of the eclipse, she'd quickly become a solid part of their lives, and spent several nights in a row sleeping over. So becoming a permanent resident wasn't difficult to adjust to. At least for everyone else.

For Lena, having stability as far as basic necessities went was much different from what she was used to. Oh, she'd been able to get by just fine, especially with some magical help, but now she could be sure she wouldn't have to worry about where her next meal was coming from or being subject to the elements in her makeshift home under the abandoned amphitheater. But up until now she had been self-sufficient, and asking for anything didn't come naturally.

Lena had a bedroom, but Webby had had a bunk bed installed in hers so that they could have sleepovers any time they wanted. Her room was big enough for the both of them to comfortably inhabit, so the sleepovers tended to be just about every night, and when they weren't adventuring with Scrooge, they spent their free time together.

Now that Lena was around 24/7, Webby noticed something about her, and it spurred a question from her one afternoon. "Is that your only shirt?"

Something that might've been surprise flashed across Lena's face for a moment, but she didn't look up from her phone and her reaction could have very well been to something she was reading, and not Webby's inquiry. "It's two shirts," she responded, nonchalantly.

"Are those your only two shirts?" Webby prompted.

"They're good shirts," Lena answered without missing a beat.

She was dodging the question, which probably meant that Webby's initial observation was correct. "You know you can borrow some of my clothes," she offered.

"Even if they fit me, I'm pretty sure our styles clash," Lena just shrugged.

Webby had already hopped off the bed and was halfway to the door when she responded, "Then let's go shopping! I'll get granny to take us. You can't just live with two shirts."

Lena didn't budge. "Yeah, I don't really have... What's that thing? Money? Modern currency?"

Webby turned back around to her friend. "Why not ask Uncle Scrooge?"

The older duck finally looked up from her phone. "Scrooge has done plenty for me, and I'm really grateful for all of it. I can't just ask for more. That'd be totally selfish."

"But he adopted you," Webby pointed out. "That means he's willing to provide for you."

"And he does!" Lena insisted. "I've got food and a roof over my head. It's more than anyone else ever did for me."

"You should still ask."

"No."

Lena's response frustrated Webby. On one hand, she wanted to march straight over to Scrooge's office and let him know about Lena's unspoken needs. On the other hand, she wanted to respect her friend's desire not to bother her new guardian. It was obvious to her that Lena needed some new things, she probably wanted them too, but her pride and independent nature wouldn't allow her to rely on anyone anymore than she had to. Maybe she'd come around on her own and realize how much Uncle Scrooge really cared for her.


	2. Chapter 2

"You got some new clothes?" Webby noticed the t-shirt her friend was wearing, which featured some band she recognized from one of Lena's posters that adorned her bedroom.

"Well, one thing," Lena tugged at the t-shirt and studied its design.

"It looks nice!" Webby would have said anything looked nice on Lena, even though she certainly didn't understand the reference the t-shirt was making. "But I thought you said you didn't have money," Webby skeptically glanced at the clothing item and back up to Lena's face. When their eyes met, the older duck turned away.

"I got some."

"From who?"

"People. I know people."

Lena was being dodgy, and something didn't feel right. Webby was aware that Lena used to lie to her, about a lot of things, but most of that was to keep her from finding out the truth about her connection to Magica. Now that she was gone, there was no reason for them to lie or keep secrets from one another. Yet Webby couldn't shake the feeling that Lena had attained the item she was currently wearing through unscrupulous means.

"Look, you were worried about my lack of wardrobe, now I've got something else. So we can drop the whole thing," Lena folded her arms across her chest, as a demonstration that she was done with this topic.

The older duck had a way of getting annoyed whenever Webby asked too many questions or got too close to the truth of something. That was her tell. She became closed off, unwilling to continue a conversation, and often times attempting to change the subject entirely. Webby, despite her doubts, relented, putting the discussion to rest. She didn't have any proof that Lena wasn't telling the truth, and really, she didn't want to push her friend away by probing too much into her personal life.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a full day since Lena made an appearance at McDuck Manor. Webby hadn't been able to sleep the previous night, too busy staring out at the long path leading up to the house. Every second her chest clenched tighter, and she hoped that the next moment she would see a faint silhouette making her way back home. But eventually the sun rose and woke Webby from where she had dozed on a windowsill, still waiting.

She checked Lena's room for the umpteenth time, hoping somehow she had missed her or maybe she'd snuck in through another entrance. Nothing. Webby tried her cellphone again, and as anticipated it went to voicemail. Something about the situation didn't sit right with Webbigail.

Another problem was that none of the adults were taking her disappearance seriously. They pointed out that Lena had lived on her own for so long, and now she was surrounded by people almost all the time. Maybe she needed a break. "Why didn't she tell anyone?" Webby had pointed out, but was met with, "Maybe she didn't feel she had to inform us of all her personal business," by Uncle Scrooge, and "She can take care of herself. Besides, she said she'd made other friends recently, right?" by her grandmother. So all Webby could do was worry.

The truth was that everyone was worried, especially Scrooge. He'd taken Lena under his wing, given her a good home, and now she wasn't in it and she hadn't told anyone where she was going. Yes, he'd fibbed to Webby about his feelings, but only to help calm her. And he was torn.

He wanted to send out a search for her right away, to get the whole of the Duckburg police force on the case if he had to. But what if Lena was just fine? He half believed what he'd told Webby, that maybe she was taking a break to get away from the stresses of her new life. Making a fuss would only end up embarrassing her and maybe even push her away. She'd been taking care of herself for years, why should he suddenly be worried about her being gone for a few- or several- hours?

Mrs. Beakley had had a complete change of heart after the incident in the subway, even more so when Lena became an official part of the family. She seemed to go out of her way to make things more pleasant for Lena, checking up on her often, always asking if she needed anything. Now she considered that perhaps her attempts at being motherly had overly smothered the girl with attention, and that her attentiveness might have been the cause for the sudden disappearance.

Even the triplets, who weren't very close to the teen, were worried because Webby was worried. She was like a sister to them, and they saw how much she cared for Lena ever since they had met. She was a part of their family now, their weird family with unusual dynamics, but a part of it anyway. Her presence had become routine, a normal fixture in their life. The manor was no longer the same without her.


	4. Chapter 4

Lena was also worried, because she'd spent the night in jail. Surprisingly, it was her first time, and she decided after the first couple of hours that her previous home by the beach was much more comfortable than this incarceration facility. Well, at least the time in the cell would give her plenty of time to come up with an story for why she wasn't home the previous night.

The actual truth was that she'd been caught shoplifting, and because she didn't have any money for stolen items or the imposed fine, she'd been turned over to the local police. Lena was well aware she could call Scrooge to bail her out, but she hoped that if she did her time he (and everyone else) wouldn't have to find out.

But after the police had finished processing her and digging up what little existed in her file, they'd uncovered her adoption papers and connection to Scrooge McDuck. They then took it upon themselves to call him and inform him they had his young charge in their possession. Without hesitation Scrooge came straight over and bailed her out, and was now standing in front of her cell as the warden unlocked it.

"Come on lass, let's go home," his mood was almost impossible to read. He seemed calm, but he should be furious. After all, he'd just paid a hefty fine for her antics. There was no way Scrooge had forgiven her that easily. Something was up.

"Is anyone else here?" Lena glanced over Scrooge's shoulder as she walked out of the cell.

Scrooge turned away once Lena was free, wasting no time in heading for the exit. "No, just me, and Launchpad is driving. I've already got your things," he was referring mostly to Lena's cellphone, which was pretty much the only item she actually owned.

Lena didn't dare ask for her phone back if Scrooge wasn't willingly giving it up. Perhaps she was grounded from it, even if he didn't say so. Once they were in the car, she stared out the window. She hadn't really slept, and she certainly hadn't had a shower, so she felt tired and gross, but glad to be on her way back home.

Scrooge closed the partition and gave them privacy from Launchpad, letting out a strained "Lena" to get her attention. Now that they were alone, Scrooge couldn't contain his displeasure any longer. "Everyone at the mansion has been worried sick about you, you know? You should have called right away. Did you spend the whole night in behind bars? For what reason? You could have been home in your perfectly nice bed. The one I gave you!"

The teen took everything Scrooge had to throw at her. She deserved it. She'd honestly hoped that maybe after a night in jail the authorities would just let her go, and she could return home with some kind of excuse for her absence and her family would never have to find out. But of course they'd run her file, and for the first time she had one that was traceable. Just her luck.

The elder took a deep breath and sighed. "Now I know you have a checkered past, lass. I know things weren't easy for you before. But if you're going to remain in my house, this sort of behavior has to stop. I gave you my good name and you're out on the streets tarnishing it! What were you aiming to do?"

Lena studied her hands in her lap as she struggled to formulate a response. There wasn't any good lie she could tell that Scrooge would believe, so she'd have to opt for the truth. "I just needed some things, okay? Webby reminded me that I only have, like, two shirts, and I thought it was time for a wardrobe update."

"So you decided to steal?"

"How else was I going to get the things I needed?"

"You could've asked me."

Maybe she should have followed Webby's advice.

"Perhaps I haven't made it clear," Scrooge placed a gentle hand upon Lena's shoulder, "I'm your guardian now. Sort of like your parent. That means I made a promise to take care of you. I know I give you a lot of space at home, but that's because I figure you'd prefer the company of those your own age and not some old geezer. Mayhaps I've been a bit too distant. I want you to know, from now on, if there's ever anything you need, that you can come to me. It can be material, emotional, advisable, anything. No more stealing. No more trouble."

Lena glanced at the hand on her shoulder, eyes following the arm until her eyes met Scrooge's. "Thanks, Uncle Scrooge. I guess I never really had a family that took care of each other. I'm still figuring this out," despite spending a restless night in a cell, Lena smiled wanly.

"Aye lass. Me too. I want you to trust me and be able to come to me. So don't ever feel like you're a bother. You're my charge now, and I'm going to give you the finest upbringing anyone's ever had! You can do anything, be anything you want. I've got the keys that unlock all the doors to your potential futures," he gestured with his hand, as if presenting the whole horizon for Lena to observe. "But you've got to talk to me. You've got to tell me when you're in trouble. Otherwise, how can I protect you?"

Lena didn't have words to describe how she was feeling, so she threw herself across the seat and wrapped Scrooge in a hug. He quickly recovered from his surprise and returned the gesture. But after a moment something occurred to him. "Have you not been wearing a seatbelt this entire time?! Launchpad is driving for goodness sake!"

The younger duck chuckled, sliding back across the seat and securing herself.

Scrooge sighed. "I just want you to be safe, Lena. I know you don't need to be babied and that you can take care of yourself. But after all you've been through, I want you to know peace and comfort. You don't need to desire for anything. I'm giving you the freedom to do whatever you choose, live your life how you see fit. As long as it's not illegal," he stressed the final word.

Lena smiled, perhaps the first genuine smile she'd ever given Scrooge. "Okay. I'm still getting used to the whole family thing, but I'll work on not committing any more crimes."

"Aye, that's a good girl," Scrooge replied as they pulled up to the manor. He reached into his coat pocket and procured the girl's cellphone, passing it over to her.

"Are you going to tell everyone what I did?" Lena asked as they exited the vehicle.

"Well, Mrs. Beakley knows since she answered the call from the station, so unless she updated everyone on your whereabouts, I don't see a need to. I think we've both learned enough from this experience," he smiled and gave the teen a nod.

"Thanks," she rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. Lena hesitated, but just as Scrooge was about to head back to his office, she put her arms around him again.

Scrooge grinned as he squeezed her back. "That's two hugs in one day. I thought you weren't a hugger?"

"I'm making an exception," Lena gave him an extra squeeze, "Because I don't know how else to tell you how grateful I am for all the things you've done for me that I don't deserve."

"Stay out of trouble. That's all the thanks I need."


	5. Chapter 5

"LENA!" Webby yelled as the teen and Scrooge made their way inside from the garage. She must have seen them coming.

"H-hey!" Lena had hoped she'd have a chance to clean up before having to greet her best friend, but she should have known better.

"Where have you been?" Webby held her in a tight embrace. "I got so worried and-and scared! Nobody knew where you were! Where were you?"

Lena would have hugged Webby back if Webby hadn't incapacitated the use of her arms. "I was just hanging around town. Lost track of time, you know?"

"Really? All night?" Webby released the other duck and looked at her skeptically.

"I mean, sort of. Sometimes I just have to do my own thing. I'm sorry that I worried everyone. Next time I'll try not to disappear without telling anyone."

"You better!" she couldn't contain the waterworks anymore. Tears of worry and relief streamed down Webby's cheeks, and she unthinkingly buried her face in Lena's shirt, grasping onto it like she was afraid she might disappear again if she let go.

"Whoa, hey! Look, I'm okay. I'm-"

All at once, Lena found herself crying, too, for several reasons. One, she'd upset Webby, which was something she tried very hard not to do, and something she hadn't considered would happen if she was gone for so long. Two, she was very tired and very relieved to be home. And three, it was in this moment that it finally hit her that she was safe. Magica was gone. Really, truly gone, and she didn't have to be afraid anymore.

Everyone in this house was willing to protect her from any kind of danger that might attempt to harm her. She didn't have to worry about food or shelter or being found out as a traitor anymore. Everything came crashing in, and for perhaps the first time in her life, Lena wasn't afraid to let herself be vulnerable. To cry, really cry, hard, like she'd been holding back her whole life.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she sobbed into Webby's hair, clinging to her like she was the only thing keeping her grounded to Earth. Her legs grew shaky, and eventually she fell to her knees, dragging Webby with her. Her sobbing and sniffling probably sounded awful, but this was cathartic and relieving in a way Lena hadn't realized she needed.

She became vaguely aware of a gentle hand stroking her back, and murmed coos of, "It's okay, I'm here, it's okay," in her ear. For once, it felt true.

She was okay. She wasn't going anywhere, and she wasn't going to suddenly disappear. Webby was here, and she was wasn't going anywhere, Magica couldn't touch her, she was safe, they were both safe. She was home, in a real home, with a family that didn't want to use her for their own gain. She was okay, and she was alive, and she'd needlessly worried Webby by falling back into her old habits.

She could do better. She could be better. She had the option to choose a path that wasn't rife with lies and deceit. She was surrounded by people that cared about and supported her, and that was something she never could have imagined having in her wildest dreams.

As she calmed down, she took comfort in Webby's company. There was nothing that could tear them apart anymore. No Magica to get in the way and make Lena bury any semblance of emotional attachment. No amulet with unknown magic that she couldn't fully control. No more running from her own shadow or being scared of every bump in the night.

It would take time to sort through all her feelings, now that she realized she could. She didn't have to hide everything about herself. She could open up to others, let them help with her problems. It was something she hadn't had before. But she was learning exactly what family was for, and how good one could be, and how nice it felt when everyone around her was on her side.

Yeah, her new life was going to take some getting used to. But with a new family and a new home, Lena knew she could kick all her old troubles and worries to the curb. It's all so new and strange and wonderful and exciting, but it was good, all of it. Trusting others might not come easily or naturally to her, but she was going to work on that. With her best friend holding her tight, for the first time McDuck Manor actually felt like home.


End file.
